People who missed a great opportunity to serve

In the early 80s I was the pastor of a midsized church in the capital of a very important state in Brazil. My church with other churches partnered with Youth for Christ to organize a special event for young people. It would be on a Saturday afternoon. Because we wanted a high quality event, Youth for Christ invited a very well known Christian (Gospel) rock band. The event was a success.

That same Saturday late at night, I received a call from the Youth for Christ director. He was very upset and disappointed. During that whole week he contacted many churches in the city (the largest ones) to entertain and host the Band on Sunday morning. All the expenses were covered, yet nobody wanted to have them in their church or be involved with them.

Now it was late Saturday night and he could not find any church for the Band. I told him that my church was not the biggest one in town, but I would be glad to open the doors for them and have them in our Sunday morning activities. I do not need to tell you how glad he was when I said that.

Next day they came. They had their sound system and instruments setup in our chancel. They did the whole program; worship, preaching, everything, and they did it very well. I was happy with the opportunity to serve them. What I did not know is that that band would become the biggest Christian (Gospel) Rock Band in the history of Brazil. For me they were just young people who wanted to play and serve the Lord. We started a very good friendship from then on.

Have you ever had an opportunity to serve someone only to find out that the person was an important person? We all have been in this kind of situation, in one way or the other.

Now, have you ever missed an opportunity? Have you ever missed the opportunity to serve someone but you did not think that he or she was important, and you came up with some lousy excuse and did not do anything. Later you learned that the person was someone very important or famous.

“If regret could kill, I would be dead.” This is what we say when we miss this kind of opportunity. This probably is the feeling that a Pharisee felt when he realized that he had the opportunity to serve Jesus Himself, the Messiah, the Son of God, and he just MISSED.

We find this story in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 7, verse 36 to 50. Most of the time we see the story from the perspective of a woman who anointed Jesus. But that story is a tremendous illustration of a missing opportunity. This is what happened. A Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him. Many people were present. Among them someone who was not invited, a woman with a terrible past. She came and washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, anointed and kissed His feet.

When that host complained, Jesus told him that he did not offer water for Him, he did not kiss Him, nor anoint Him (verses 44-46). These practices were expected from the host, but that Pharisee missed a great opportunity. That woman, even with a dark past, seized the opportunity and served the Lord of the Universe, the Savior, and the King of Kings.